


How to spoil your lover

by Nightalp



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-25 20:52:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13221030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightalp/pseuds/Nightalp
Summary: Tony hasn't seen his lover for a while, and being woken up right after a three day work bender may not be the best time for Loki to drop by.Thankfully, he has the best reason to stop by now.





	How to spoil your lover

**Author's Note:**

  * For [howwasthefun_vee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/howwasthefun_vee/gifts).



> This is my (belated) Secret Santa Gift for howwasthefun-vee on tumblr.  
> It starts out with a little bit of hurt (because post civilwar) but I hope Loki spoiling his Tony rotten makes up for it

Tony woke up to a screwdriver digging into his cheek and a crick in his back that was very reminiscent of his university dorm bed days. And here he had thought the time of permanent back pain was behind him.

Groaning he rightened himself, trying to stretch the aches out of his body while his mind slowly came back online. 

It wasn't the first time he woke up from a three day workshop bender - far from it -, though between the Avengers and Pepper looking out for him it had been a while since he had been able to lose himself like that in his work. Of course, with Steve getting half the kids in the divorce and Bruce running off, too, there weren't many people around anymore to keep him from his self-indulgent/self-destructive habits.

Smiling against the bitterness that filled his chest with sticky black tar he looked for the blinds that kept any outside light out of the workshop, mostly because the change in lightning fucked up his concentration. ”Jarvis? What time is it?”

It took a beat – a moment of blissful unawareness – before he remembered that Jarvis wasn’t there anymore - was another casualty of Tony's fuck-ups as much as the team and Yinsen – and if there had been darkness in his chest before then  _he was_ darkness now, falling into the black of guilt  _that he hadn’t protected him better, hadn’t thought things through before acting_ , eating him alive for a moment that was longer than endless and  _hurt_ so much that he wanted to gasp for breath. A nd then Friday stepped in, her voice smooth and businesslike in that way that Jarvis' had never been and it was like coming off a ship and suddenly being sea-sick on land because he couldn’t quite get his footing. ”It's the 25th September, three a.m., which means you've been down here for more than 76 hours- ”

Being disoriented hadn’t ever stopped him from being a smart ass. ”Cut me some slack here, Friday, I've been asleep for the last five of those. ”

”4 hours 23 minutes, Boss. I’m not sure that counts as adequate rest. Also, may I point out that you have a visitor? ”

”What?!”  _That_ woke him up, adrenaline cascading through him like a cold shower and twice as effective before he even registered that no, Friday wouldn't have let anyone in without sounding the alarm if she wasn't convinced they didn't mean him harm.

It didn’t stop him from frantically blinking against the low light until he found the familiar lite form, half-hidden in the shadows, and finally remembered how to properly breathe again. 

His chest felt strangely tight when he saw him sitting there in the chair, all prim elegance, dark clothes blending with the gloom of the workshop, eyes glittering like the world's most accurate Aragorn impersonator. Even his pale face was a barely visible and if Friday hadn't pointed him out Tony was pretty sure he would never have noticed him.

”Hello, Anthony. ”

His heart was still racing and he swallowed twice - _”Why did you leave me this long?”, ”I was afraid something had happened to you.”_ \- before he found words his pride would allow him to voice. Putting a smile on his lips that was as bright and empty as any light bulb he straightened his shoulders and tried to hide how much he had missed him. ”Hi snowflake. Fancy seeing you here. Did you know that us puny humans  _can_ literally be scared to death? Just ask the Riddles. ”

Loki tilted his head, the motion elegant thoughtfulness, before he abruptly came to his feet, leaving Tony feeling small and surprised when he suddenly towered over him. His breath stuttered in his lungs when long fingers reached out, catching his jaw with the utmost care of a being of immeasurable power touching a mere human.

”I am sorry, my Anthony”, Loki whispered, voice catching on emotion, and something eased within him. ”I should have been here ... ”

So much for pretending everything was okay. Tony felt his shoulders sag at the realization - y _ou can’t lie to the God of Lies_ -, his right hand curling into a fist at his side. Somehow he found the strength to bring his fingers to Loki's lip to halt the apology and smiled, trying to keep the bitterness out of it. ”You didn't know, Loks. And you are here now. ”

There was a strange expression on Loki's face and then a warm hand cupped Tony's own fingers before Loki pressed a chaste kiss to them. ”I did not know”, he acknowledged. ”Because I wasn't here. But I should have been here, where I belong. ”

Oh, if that were just the truth! But Tony knew better. ”We both know that you are too vast, too wild a being to ever be confined by me, or even by just one realm if you can have the run of the whole universe.” A truth he had known before he ever agreed to this, whatever  _this_ was between them . ”I am ... content to know that you come here at times. That you chose me as a place to rest. ”

The smile said that Loki saw right through him, even more than the  _Liar_ whispered against his fingertips. 

”But I am here now”, he added a moment later, moving back just enough that they could see each other comfortably. 

Tony's skin itched with the need to follow him, but he held himself back. Instead he took another step back and smiled. ”That you are. I hope you are staying for a while?” Because if he had slept away the time they could have had together ...

But Loki shook his head. ”Don't fear - I will stay. Or rather ... ”

”Yeah?” The hesitant look on Loki's face filled him with an almost forgotten hope. Loki had promised once to show him more of the nine realms but with all that had happened on both their ends there hadn’t actually been the time and chance to follow it up.

Until now. Tightening the grip he still had on Tony's hand he pulled him closer again, then cupped his other hand around Tony's cheek. ”If you still wish it, I would love to take you with me back to Asgard. ”

And Tony's chest swelled with the warmth of his love and joy, for once triumphing entirely  over the darkness still lingering at the edge of his heart. ”Yes! Finally! ”

Loki laughed. ”Then come, my darling, let us go. ”

Strong arms cradled him close and Tony smiled as magic washed gold over them both.

 

##

 

Living with Thor meant he had heard more than one story of Asgard's might and, well,  _goldenness_ , yet it still came as a surprise when it took on form around him.

They had materialized on a platform that was so high in the air it almost felt like Tony should be sick from the altitude. To their feet, the city sprawled shimmering like the scarf of a rich young lady, gold buildings set into a landscape of green fields and rolling hills. Islands flew above it, golden and strange and utterly alien in their smooth unpropelled glide, sending rays of reflected sun light all over the place. And when he squinted against the light Tony could even make out the edge of the world –  _the edge of the world, Asgard was fucking impossibly inconceivably_ **_flat_ ** \- where the water cascaded into the emptiness of space. Water sprayed high into the air, with a glittering band reaching out into the black that he assumed was the Bifr ø st.

It took him a moment to come back to the present, and even then he was still stunned by what he saw. Listening to Thor talk of the miracles of his birth realm was one thing – seeing it in person, it turned out, quite another.  _And all these are things humans can do, too, if we just figure out_ **_how_ ** _. If_ **_I_ ** _figure out how_ . Turning around he found Loki standing behind him, a soft smile on his lips as he watched him take the scenery in.

”This is beautiful”, he said, words too small to express what he wanted to say. Then added, because he was Tony Stark and Tony Stark didn’t do overwhelmed: ”Though a little gaudy. I think I know now where you and Thor got it from. Also, just for the record - I totally approve. ”

The smile on Loki's face turned wicked. ”And you have seen nothing yet”, he promised. ”Come, we will take a bath and then you can explore even more of Asgard’s grandeur.”

Following along Tony couldn't help but agree. The hallways Loki led him through were so high that the ceilings were all but lost from sight, with gold along the walls and marble under their feet. Even the air seemed to be infused with golden light and every saluting guard they passed on their way was dressed in even more gold.

Tony actually felt a bit underdressed, like a prince dressed to kill a dragon walking into said dragon's hoard, and that? Had never happened before.

The baths Loki led him to were somehow both less gold and even more impressive.

His first thought was  _How big is this palace that this room fits in here?_ Even compared to what he had seen already the place was vast, with the ceiling not even a thought worth and the other side of the room to far away to be seen. On their right water cascaded down as a harsh, glittering force that made Tony's jaw fall down at the sheer impossibility of it because it  _covered the whole damn fifty-some meters wall_ . Steam billowed up from the pond a t its foot, warm and thick like fog, making the whole scene seem as hazy as a dream and letting Tony feel as if they were alone. Maybe they were; as far as he could see all of the many ponds were empty.

”Wow”, he made and knew even without looking that Loki was smirking at his back. ”I need one of those in the tower.” That would shut stupid Strange and his teleporting windows right up. Really, who needed a doorway into a desert when he could have the most awesome bath ever dreamed of? 

Loki laughed. “I’m not sure you’ll be able to fit one into it, no matter how high it raises into the sky.” Arms wrapped around him, keeping him from turning and glaring in mock-anger. “But you are welcome to share this with me, as often as you like.”

“ That would be a lot“, he threatened, not quite mollified, only to feel Loki press a smile against his nape.

“ I’m counting on that“, he replied.

And that melted any remaining anger. Leaning back against Loki he allowed himself for a moment to dream that this could truly be his future. That the man he loved would really share his world with him whenever he needed,  _wanted_ him to, the way Loki so often promised him.

Reality came back in form of three servants slipping in after them. Stepping back from Loki – he had never actually learned what the Aesir thought about homosexuality and he didn’t want to find out by getting the stink eye now – felt harder than it should and he had to remind himself that it was just a few centimeters separating them to keep himself from leaning back again.

Distracted like that it took him a moment to notice what they were wearing –  _not_ wearing, actually, which was pretty much everything but a pretty (golden) loincloth, a (golden) BH-thingy (the woman) and a pair of leather sandals holding a small shiny knife (all three). Incredulous he watched as the female servant put a pair of thick (golden) towels next to the edge of one of the pools, then topped them off with a jar of what Tony supposed was a kind of bathing soap. The male servants filled a small table with several dishes and pitchers, leaving it almost overflowing with deliciously looking fruits and meat and cakes that caused Tony's stomach to remind him noisily that he hadn't had anything but smoothies and energy bars for the last three days.

One of the males looked up at that and send him a quick grin - not so homophobic then, probably - but was quick to complete his duties together with his fellow servants. After, they were bowing towards them and only waited for Loki’s “You may go” before they took their leave.

All of this in such a silence and speed that, if not for the food and bath utensils left behind, Tony might have thought he had imagined them.

Turning towards Loki he found him looking back, a hand already reaching for Tony though it hovered in the space between them at whatever he saw in Tony’s face.

“ Are you … is this not what you want?”, he asked, slowly.

And Tony felt like an ass. There had clearly been a lot of thought put  into preparing all this – the bath empty, the servants and the food - and he was just standing here staring into space. Shaking his head he replied: “Nope, it’s just … I don’t understand. What do you want? I mean-” Frustrated he cut himself off and gestured around him. At the gaudiness and opulence and all the care Loki had obviously put into it.

The answer was unexpected. ”I want to spoil you.”

Tony blinked, then blinked again when Loki was suddenly  _there_ , pulling him close. Hands framed his face, warm and yet inescapable, and when he looked up all he could see were those beautiful, beautiful green eyes. “I love you, Anthony”, Loki said, so earnest that Tony wanted to cry, wanted to hide, and yet couldn’t do anything but feel himself blush the richest scarlet. “ _I love you_ , and seeing you in pain hurts my very heart. Knowing that I wasn’t there to ease your plight … it fills me with shame. So let me do this for you at least, my darling. Please, let me spoil you as you are meant to be spoiled.”

If there was a way to combust from having too much blood rush into one’s head then Tony was sure he’d soon find out. Trying to turn his face away he found himself held immobile for a moment until Loki allowed him the small mercy of hiding his face from view. “There are a lot of people who will tell you that I’m already pretty spoiled”, he tried to deflect.

Yet Loki held firm. “And a lot of people are wrong, then. Love is not something one can ever have enough of, and riches are a poor substitute for it.” 

Tony swallowed, at a loss for what to say for once. He wasn’t … he wasn’t used to having someone look through him this effortlessly, at least not anyone who wasn’t Rhodey or Pepper or Jarvis or sometimes Happy.

Nor was he used to having someone understand him this well because they felt the same way. “I was a prince once of the greatest of all realms, and am its king now, beloved by my people. And still it is only with you that I feel truly at peace, truly in balance with myself and the world.”

He had thought it impossible to love Loki anymore than he already did, yet hearing this he found himself falling even deeper. Silently – because what could he even reply to such a declaration? - he reached for the hand still lying against his cheek and looked up. Tried to put everything he felt – his love, his trust, his sincere appreciation that Loki was capable of putting his own love and need into words – into his eyes. 

And Loki reacted to it in the very best way, pulling him close and meeting his lips in a kiss that was so sweet it almost brought tears to Tony’s eyes. He reached for Loki, twisting his fingers in the folds of his tunic and pulled him as close as possible. Warmth seeped between them and for one impossible long moment he felt safe, and loved, and like nothing could ever hurt him again. A moment suspended in time, spun from the golden thread of Asgardian dreams and the stability of Earth green.

When Loki pulled back it was with a smile that quickly turned into a slight frown when he could properly see him. Carefully he touched the skin under Tony’s left eye, yet only when he saw the moisture clinging to the fingertip did he realize that he was crying.

Catching Loki’s hand in his own he said: “I am happy, Loki”, willing him to believe. Because he was and he couldn’t bear to think that Loki might think himself not enough.

“ I know.” Rubbing his fingers together Loki spread the moisture, then touched them back to Tony’s jaw. It felt colder than the rest of his hand, sticking slightly against Tony’s skin. “I just think you need to be told more often how much you are worth, so it won’t surprise you like this anymore.”

There was nothing Tony could say to this and so he just leaned into Loki’s touch.

He could have stayed like this for the next small eternity and be content, if only the world would turn on without them. A long, long, much too short amount of time later Loki moved back again, his hand falling down to his side and a mischievous grin curved his lips and set his eyes alight. “We really should use the bath. I don’t imagine you’ve seen much water these last days, did you?”

And Tony remembered that, yes, he’d been down in his workshop for three days straight, personal hygiene reduced to washing his hands after using the bathroom. And  _then_ he remembered that he had just walked through Asgard, with her king at his side, and he didn’t even knew what her people would think of this.

“ Please tell me you didn’t just parade me through Asgard’s palace in stained jeans and a shirt that should have been washed even before I went down into the workshop”, he begged. ”Friday would never let me live that down. Fuck, if Rhodey hears of that he will have it written on my grave stone. ”

Loki’s smile could have rivaled the Wicked Witch of the West if not for the warmth of love underneath. “You are more beautiful than anyone here, even smelling like you do of hard work and harder thinking and looking like you slept in your clothes. But no, I did not. I would not, ever – to see you this vulnerable is a privilege Asgard has never earned. Nor”, he chuckled, “would they appreciate it if their king paraded one of Earth’s mightiest heroes through his halls without making it an official visit. No, as far as Asgard is concerned all they saw was Odin King walking through his halls with a young warrior at his side, and they will think I took you to satisfy my body’s needs as a man does when he is widowed and does not wish to take a new wife.”

Loki’s voice shook a little at the last words and Tony reached for him without thinking, his hand on Loki’s arm a sign of respect and support against the loss he had suffered. He might not ever have met Frigga, but listening to Loki speak of her had told him that she had been a wonderful woman, and that her son had loved her very much and missed her even more. 

The smile he got in return – smaller and shaky – showed him that his support was gratefully received.

Yet Loki was not someone to acknowledge his own pain beyond small gestures – not if he knew it was known, and understood – and so he only allowed himself a short moment of vulnerability before he took Tony’s hand and lead him forward deeper into the bath.

Up close Tony could see that what he had thought was one pool were instead many little ponds, interconnected by shallows that allowed a steady current yet let the occupant feel like they were alone. Even more – now that they walked deeper in the fog Tony could see plants growing between them – small trees and bushes – that gave them even more privacy.

Loki finally choose a pond to stop at. They were deep in the room, too far to even see the door they had come through, with a few actual trees giving them even more privacy should anyone decide to walk in.

Not that Tony thought anyone would; even without knowing much about Asgard he had gotten the impression that no-one would just wander in after the king, and even less so if they thought he was having his way with a young soldier. 

Trailing a hand over the front of his shirt Loki asked: ”Do you need help getting rid of this? ”

It could sound sexy - could be the first step in a very seductive game - but mostly it sounded nice. Worried.  _Caring._ Which was probably why Tony felt warmth seeping through him again instead of the scorching heat of arousal and he grinned back. ”If you'd like? ”

And Loki was there, fingers making quick work of the shirt he had spend really too much time in for all that it was one of his favorites, then working on getting rid of his trousers after Tony helpfully kicked his shoes off. And baring his skin shouldn't feel this good but just the feeling of getting rid of that extra layer of sweat and grease was divine after having been macerated in it for three days straight. 

Warm damp  _scented_ \- he was pretty sure that not even Asgard, as golden as it was, smelled naturally this much of flowers - air swirled lazily around him, cocooned him in the feeling of sunny summerdays at a lake, helped along by Loki's warm hands that seemed to caress every part of his skin. At any other time Tony might have accused him of groping a feel, but right then it just simply felt amazing to have hands stroking and petting and  _cherishing_ every part of him. When Loki moved closer it felt natural to just let his head fall back against the muscled chest of his lover, and rest it there.

And Loki went along with it. If there was any way for Tony to fall even more for him then it was when strong arms wrapped around his chest, so carefully carefully below where the ARC reactor had once been, and held him close. It was easy then to let his eyes close and just breathe, just  _be_ and bathe in the presence of his lover.

The rushing of the waterfall was the perfect backdrop for their breathing, and maybe for the first time in months did Tony feel himself truly relax. No worries about the world to take on, no space army to prepare for. No people he had thought friends and  _trusted_ with his heart and weapons. Not Rhodey recovering oh so slowly from his fall, even with Tony's help. Not Jarvis dead, and Vision a person he desperately wanted to respect for who he was, and could only see  _not_ his friend in. Not Peter or Harley or Riri to worry about. Not Stark Industries and Pepper and Happy. Not the stash of alcohol that he had told Friday to keep him from. No hand shaking whenever he wasn't lost in creation. 

The thoughts - worries - flashed through his mind, and yet it almost felt as if Loki was picking them out of his mind, putting them into a heavy-duty box and wrapping chains around it so they would not bother him for as long as he was here. 

Maybe Loki did. Maybe Tony should be concerned about the possibility of Loki going through his thoughts and locking away what he should think or shouldn't think of but ... he trusted Loki. 

He almost laughed at the pure irony that they had started out with war and weapons death and had now build between them a love that he had never thought he could ever have. Sure, it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine, was jealous green and possessive and sex and words with wicked barbs in their depths, but it was also calm hours in his lab with Loki working on his own project or reading or sometimes just curling up around each other in bed and holding the other close.

It was this that he had missed when Loki stopped pretending to be caught in Asgard's prison and started pretending to be Asgard's king, leaving him with barely any free time at all and the few times he could steal away it was often only for a few tired hours.

Tony wasn't entirely sure what Loki's stance on kingship had been before he accepted the throne from Thor, but he was convinced that he had no interest in it anymore. If not for a lack of other options he would have fled the crown long ago, spending time with Tony or wandering the nine realms.

Alas, it couldn't be, and so they were stuck pining for each other, making those few moments they had together even more precious. And so Tony didn't ask when he felt his mind shy away from those very thoughts that hunted his days and hounded his nights. Let himself fall deeper in the arms of the person he loved most in this universe.

He barely noticed his breathing evening out, almost syncing up with Loki's. But he did notice the way his heartbeat slowed, could feel how his whole chest seemed to relax when the pressure eased up and for once his lungs could expand to almost that capacity they'd had before the cave. 

His head swam, light from too much oxygen, and the world narrowed down to the sound of the breathing, the steady pounding of his heart, echoed almost by Loki's far slower alien one, and those broad stretches of contact between them, holding him up and contained and safe.

He wasn't sure how long they stood there, only that at one point Loki sighed so deep that he could feel it move both their bodies, and then his arms fell away, so slowly as to be hesitant. 

”I would love to hold you like this for longer, my love”, he said and Tony felt himself quiver from the longing in this velvety voice. ”However I fear either of us might fall asleep like this and I would much prefer to do so in a proper bed. ”

The promise that he would be allowed to stay for long enough to share a bed with Loki warmed him through and roused him just enough to take a small step away from him.

Immediately he missed him, his skin cold despite the warm air, and he was grateful when Loki nodded towards the water. ”Go on in, I will follow right behind. ”

He didn't need to be told twice, especially when the water lapped invitingly warm at his ankles as soon as he stepped in at the shallow side. Careful not to slip he took a few more steps, then couldn't suppress a heartfelt sigh when he let himself sink down on the bench around the edge of the basin. Aesir being the giants that he knew and mostly liked - except when standing right next to Thor - the water rose up over his shoulders and it was  _divine_ . 

A low chuckle came from where he had left Loki standing and he was showing him the finger before he'd even opened his eyes again. 

And then he  _did_ open his eyes and didn't even think about closing them again because there was Loki, smoking hot and lovely Loki with all his smooth marble skin stretched over taut muscles that made him look like the badass he was, and he had stripped down to his trousers and a simple tunic that shouldn't make him look even more delectable but somehow still did.

”Seeing something you like?”, Loki asked and there was a spark in his eyes that Tony knew too well. Long fingers skimmed down over the tight fabric of his top, and he swallowed, hard, when Loki pulled the tunic up inch by fuckingly slow inch.

He tried to answer but the noise that came out of his mouth didn't actually qualify as word. Not that he could focus on anything but the beautiful man in front of him anyway.

Grinning - because Loki loved to be admired - he bend over to show off his ass and muscular thighs when he opened the clasps on his shoes and Tony felt his mouth go dry at the sight of those muscles pressed against black leather. When Loki moved up again to open the drawstrings on his trousers he couldn't help but lick his lips.  _Heat_ bled through his veins and he could feel it moving down ...

And then Loki sighed and just stopped, looking apologetic when he said: ”As much as I would enjoy this, but to be honest with you, I am more in the mood of - I just want to spoil you, and cuddle you close to me ... ”

His skin still felt too hot and he could still feel his reaction to this display, yet - how could Tony resist this? Looking up at his lover, at the vulnerability and love so rarely displayed on his face, he smiled. ”Sounds perfect to me. ”

And it  _was,_ when the tight expression on Loki's face dissolved into relief and he quickly got rid of his trousers and moved into the water. And then he was there, a presence far warmer and weightier than the water, pulling him close and holding him. 

Tony didn't know how he ended up sitting in Loki's lap, only that his lover had a preference for this position and that he rarely objected seeing as it was perfect for snuggling and having arms wrapped at just the right height to feel safe but not confined, and gave his head a beautiful shoulder to rest on.

Maybe he should mind that he wasn't fully emerged in the water anymore, but Loki snuggling his cheek against his made more than up for it.

”You are so perfect, my Anthony”, Loki whispered and Tony felt his mouth curve upwards.

Moving was too exhausting but he had a hand on Loki's arm and it was easy to have it glide over his skin in an acknowledging manner. ”You are not so bad yourself, Frosty”, he answered and felt Loki's chuckle move his whole body.

Later, Loki pushed him off to stand in the pool and reached for the bathing utensils he had dropped off near their basin. 

”You know, the Romans cleaned themselves  _before_ they went into the baths to soak”, he remembered. 

Loki just looked unimpressed when he poured what Tony assumed was shower gel on a pale orange sponge. ”The Romans were also, if I remember correctly, an ancient, preindustrial civilization, not to mention how much more advanced  _Asgard_ is. There are spells in the water to keep it clean, and filters and forcefields. Whether we clean ourselves in or out the waters makes no difference to their cleanliness. Or ours, for that matter. ”

Tony blinked, then looked at the basins - still natural and definitely not in any way augmented looking - with new interest. ”There are forcefields here? ”

The noise Loki made sounded like it was supposed to be a sigh, but was far too amused to actually manage to convey the frustration it was supposed to carry. ”And of course that would be what you take from what I say. Yes, Anthony, there are forcefields here. And if you are very very good I will even allow you to play with them - or rather, the ones in my - our - quarters.  _After_ we have bathed and you have eaten something. ”

Tony felt his eyes go wide. ”Not a kid here, you know? ”

”I would certainly hope not, given some of the activities we have engaged in. ”

”Activities?” Tony grinned. ”What  _activities_ are you speaking of? ”

And oh, he knew that faux innocent expression on Loki's face. ”Well, when you took me on that road trip last month I do distinctly remember letting you drive. And since I am sure there are laws about that I would never have let you drive if I had thought you a child. ”

That game was so on. ”Driving, hu? And what else would you have objected to? ”

”Mmh ... Bungee jumping, definitely. You assured me they wouldn't let children do that. ”

”Yeah, though I'm pretty sure there are kids who do it anyway. ”

The look Loki send him was definitely amused. ”Aren't there laws against minors drinking? I think I won't be allowed to share my stash of Kree Ale with you anymore ... ”

And ow, that hurt. Because as much as he didn't like those critters Tony had to admit - they made awesome alcohol. Turning to his lover and putting an accusing finger on his chest he told him: ”You are a mean mean man, Mister Silvertongue. ”

Loki laughed. ”Aren't you confusing me? I thought  _Mean and Green_ is someone else. ”

There was a painful prick at the reminder of Bruce -  _who was absent_ \- but Tony ignored it in favor of asking: ”You know The Grinch? ”

Sadness tinged Loki's smile, but smile he did. ”I have been on Earth a lot, Anthony, and this movie ...” He didn't have to finish for Tony to understand. 

He flattened the finger he still had on Loki’s chest into a warm palm that easily moved  behind his neck and used this new hold to pull his lover closer. ”You are lucky, then, my sweet sugerplum, that I am not a minor and you haven't ensnared me. ”

Loki's face was priceless.  _”Sweet sugarplum_ ? ”

”Well, would you prefer Appelpie? ”

”You-” But Loki was chuckling even as he used his greater strength to pin Tony against the wall of the basin. And then, because Loki was nothing but a master opportunist, he used the hold he had on Tony to keep him still while he sponged him down. And Tony might have objected -  _would_ have, really, because when had Tony Stark ever shut up in the face of greater strength? - but Loki was also very good at multitasking and having kisses pressed to his skin just before his lover swiped over them was a very good way to shut him up.

Tony might have also gotten a little too used to being manhandled since this thing with Loki started. At first it had been hot - having a lover pin your hands down effortlessly while they thoroughly plundered your mouth - but now it was just comforting to know that even the messes Tony regularly dealt with would have a hard time putting a dent into his lover. To know that he was safe with him because the same strength that was now used to keep him close could - and would - explode into the face of anyone who dared to lay so much as a finger on Tony and  _take them down._

So maybe it wasn't that strange that Tony found himself complying with Loki's careful nudges to move him this way and that, lips pressing to his Deltoid muscle and biceps and Brachioradalis before the sponge moved in and left his whole arm feeling squeaky clean and prickling.

The soap smelled vaguely of herbs and conifers which might not be his own preference - he liked warm scents like sandalwood and berries - but suited Loki so much that he realized only now that what he had thought to be Loki's own scent was actually just a preference for a certain bath soap.

And now he was pretty much bathing Tony in that same smell.

Well, as far as marking his territory went it was certainly miles ahead of pissing on someone. Plus, Tony really didn't mind being sneakily proclaimed  _Loki's_ .

He must have made a noise at that because Loki looked up, concerned. ”Anthony? ”

”Nothing. Just ... pondering your obsession with smells. ”

For a beat Loki looked like he was going to ask but then he just shook his head and tapped Tony's leg. ”If you would raise that a bit? ”

Tony grinned and leaned back into his lover before he did as told. ”You know, I'm an old guy, I need help keeping my balance”, he just said by way of explanation when Loki made a surprised sound and actually slipped an arm around him to keep them both upright.

”Old?” Loki sounded amused. ”Weren't you just a child only minutes ago? ”

”That was your concern, not mine”, he grinned. ”I always knew I'm old enough for what I want.” 

_”That_ I never doubted”, Loki said, simply, then finished up cleaning him.

After, he pressed a small kiss to Tony's lips and pushed him towards the bench of their basin. ”Just give me a moment to clean up myself and then we can go eat. ”

Yeah, Tony was so not having this. 

Reaching for the sponge that Loki still held he simply said: ”Not happening. If you think I'm letting you spoil me while depriving me of reciprocation you are simply wrong. ”

Loki looked ... bemused was probably the correct word, but it melted quickly into something closer to love when he nodded. ”If that is your wish, ástin mín. ”

The endearment send a shower of warmth through Tony - Loki rarely called him pet names in his own language and it always felt even more loving when he did.

Smiling he made his way over to the edge of the basin to pour more soap over the sponge.

Tony had never before soaped another person, except as foreplay, and doing so now with Loki, knowing that it wouldn't lead to sex, was ... strange. Not bad, but definitely different. His skin - those long endless expanses of smooth whiteness - was far denser than Tony's, taking a little more force to give and a lot more to bruise, even under the most determined mouth. There were lines there, as well - not visible, but Tony could feel them where his fingers brushed over them, and from when he had carefully interrogated Thor he suspected that maybe those lines might be the same Loki would show in his Jotun form - not that he had seen that yet.

There was more - places Loki was ticklish and humans (normally) not. Muscles that moved just a tiny bit strange when Loki followed his wordless nudges to move an arm or leg. A tingling if he moved just too fast, almost like Loki's preference for long slow swipes expressed itself through his magic.

The expression on his lover's face when he looked up - eyes closed, mouth slack and all his features for once softened as he savored what Tony did to him. For him. 

Tony loved it all.

When he was done he couldn't quite stop himself from lingering a bit longer, discarding the sponge to just let his fingers roam freely over the freshly cleaned skin, luxuriating in the trust he was given when he touched the unprotected stomach or let his hands wander up to rest on both sides of Loki's neck.

Felt something warm in his chest when he saw the smile on his lover's lips, in his eyes, pulling him closer with more force then the gentle tug of familiar hands on his waist until they both met in a kiss.

It was comfortable, slow, with the water sloshing around his waist and his lover holding him close. No dominance, no exploration, just familiar ground like coming home after a long absence and making sure that everything was still in their place.

They could have stood there for hours except that at one point Tony had to break off and hide a yawn in his arm.

”Don't know what that is”, he said, except that now that he had stopped and taken notice of it he could feel the heaviness of his body, tiredness lingering in his every limb and urging him to rest.

Loki chuckled. ”If I understood your Friday correctly you were too busy being a genius these last three days to do something as plebeian as rest. And when you finally did succumb to your body's need I woke you up far too early and brought you here. It seems your body has decided to make sure you get the rest you need now. ”

Tony stared, betrayed, down at the arm he was still looking at. He wasn't too tired to go on, especially after he had finally gotten off Earth and was on Asgard. Which he had wanted to for a while now, and his body wouldn't keep him from exploring it as much as he wanted. Then noticed that he had looked down at his arm for quite a while now without moving which he didn't normally do until he was truly out of it. Which in turn supported Loki's theory. Which he hated because -

”You will have time to see more of Asgard when you have woken up, Anthony”, Loki cut through his thoughts and then his arm was taken in a careful grip and he was turned around, then led out of the basin before he could formulate a response.

A protest that he was sure would have come, except when he opened his mouth there was another yawn waiting right on his tongue and then he blinked and there was a towel hanging around him, and two hands rubbing him down.

He blinked again, staring up at his lover who had his own towel slung low around his hips, his towel-dried hair trailing water over his shoulders and chest. Fumbling he tried to help get himself dry, yet was met with easy deterrence. 

”I can dry myself, you know”, he protested. His voice sounded slurred, like he had drunk too much. ”I think I learned that right after building my first circuit. Or maybe before ... ? ”

His fingers were clumsy on the edge of the towel and he couldn't help but be grateful when they were easily brushed off again. ”And tomorrow you can show me this again as much as you want, but for today I hope you will indulge me and let me go about this. ”

Tony stared at him, taking a moment longer to process the words than he should. Took longer even to ask his next question: ”Did you magic me tired? ”

Those beautiful green eyes were laughing at him. ”Do you think it needs magic for your body to realize it needs rest? No, my love, this is all just your own body requiring rest. Though I have to admit” And that mouth ticked up in a beautiful smirk. ”I am its willing accomplice. ”

Tony glared at him, not quite sure what exactly his lover meant with that but Loki wasn't called the God of Lies for nothing and there was no sign in the end either way. 

And then it didn't matter anymore anyway, not when Loki pulled the towel around his waist the way he had done his own, then reached for his hand. ”Come, my sweet. You should eat at least a little before you go to rest, or your own hunger may wake you before you are fully rested. ”

Remembering the feast that the servants had put out for them roused Tony just enough to make his way back to the table and on a little bench close by. Loki was quick to fill a plate -  _golden_ ; the sight alone made him grin again - with bread and meat and some delicately carved fruit; all of it bite-sized and obviously thought to be eaten without silverware.

”And here I thought you only ate Pop Tarts in magic wonder land”, he grinned when Loki offered him the dish.

It earned him an eyeroll and a groaned: ”Not all of us lost our tastebuds to too many failed attempts at cooking. ”

”Thor  _cooks_ ?” That sounded like a story. Carelessly he selected a piece of bread, more intent on what Loki would say, until he realized with a jolt: ”This is still warm! ”

”Of course it is. What use would there be to serve food early if it does not keep? ”

Tony stared at his lover, then the food, and then, realizing, back at the table. There was an odd flickering over the food, like light reflected off a golden surface, and he didn't need to be told to know what it was. ”There is a forcefield there. ”

An arm was slung around his waist, holding him secure, before he could even think of getting up again. Not that he was sure he could - even the promise of food was barely enough to keep his eyes open and he wasn't sure how he should follow Loki back to his room later.

”You can look at it later”, Loki promised, and Tony remembered a similar promise from earlier. 

”I'll hold you to that”, he threatened, like he actually could do anything about it.

Loki smiled. ”Of course you will. Now eat, so we can go and rest the way we both want to. ”

The bread was, unsurprisingly, fit for a king, with a crunchy crust surrounding a soft interior. Tony followed it up with a bit of meat that he had no idea which animal it was from –  _”Thorn Boars_ \- very similar to your own wild boars, just bigger and with long thorns all over their back” - but that tasted delicious, especially when eaten with the violet fruit Loki called Moonberry.

Loki himself only picked sparingly from his own plate, instead distracting him from both eating and tiredness by regaling him with tales of a young Thor's misadventures. ”- you see, the prince was known to have a very fine tongue, and since neither of his so-called friends had ever disabused my idiot of a brother from the notion that he was a good cook he actually offered to cook a meal for him. The outcome was - well, it was predictable to anyone who still knew how to taste, and the boy pretty much fled them, and rightfully so. Though I am sure my brother till this day has no idea what he did to make him run away. ”

”And you never told him?” Tony might never have had siblings, younger or otherwise, but this seemed too far fetched even for him.

Loki grinned, a grape halfway to his mouth. ”Oh, but why would I? After he dismissed my earlier attempts to correct him as jealousy I was much too entertained by his guests' attempts to hide their horror at his cooking skills. ”

Well, that sounded more like the Loki he knew and loved. Which he wasn't shy to tell his lover.

Who simply chuckled. ”Well, what else is a dutiful younger brother to do?” Then his eyes grew sharp again and he gestured towards his dish. ”Are you still hungry? ”

Blinking down at his empty plate it took Tony a moment to come up with an answer. ”Nope. I think ... I think I would like to go sleep.” Glaring some more at the plate he added: ”If I find the strength to stand up, that is. ”

”Don't worry, that is the least of our problems.” Loki pulled the plate free from his grip and put it away, then reached for him again. 

The darkness of Loki's teleportation - just a moment too long for a blink, another too short to panic - was becoming familiar, and he barely noticed it before he found himself in an unknown bedroom.

It ... wasn't what he would have expected from Loki - no green or black - and he was reminded of the fact that Loki was still playing on being Odin. And yet it was looking comfortable, with bits of blue and white amidst all the gold, and fresh flowers on several surfaces. One wall opened fully on a balcony and he blinked at the sun setting fiery orange directly into his face. 

A shadow blocked the light and when he looked up he saw Loki crawling up to him. Realized that he was on a bed that easily dwarfed even his own at home, with white sheets and blankets and more pillows than anyone could ever need.

”Did Odin really sleep with this much pillows?”, he wondered.

Loki halted for a moment, then shrugged. ”I don't think so, but the good thing about being the supreme king of a realm like Asgard is that no-one ever questions your whims. And I sleep better with all of them around me.” 

Then he moved closer and quickly reached for the edge of the towel. Tony, realizing what Loki was after, helped him pull it off, then let himself be pushed deeper into the mattress. It only took another moment for Loki to curl up around him, his weight comfortable and warm and beautiful behind him. The blanket was pulled over them and then he could feel an arm around his waist pull him closer into his lover. Lips pressed into his nape and he smiled, warmed internally by the love they shared. 

“I love you, my darling”, Loki whispered into his neck, his breath warm and sweet against his skin.

Smiling into the pillows he answered: “I love you, too, snowflake.”

“Good”, Loki said, and that was the moment Tony knew that there really was no place on earth he would rather be.

 

 


End file.
